•DHQ commits to troops’ well-being
Senate has set in motion a debate on a proposal for the upward review of the minimum wage and overall conditions of service for members of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies, citing growing economic hardship, low morale, and the urgent need to strengthen national security operations.

The motion was introduced just as the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) reaffirmed its commitment to prioritising the mental well-being of troops and other personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

The motion, titled: ‘Urgent Need to Increase the Minimum Wage and Improve Conditions of Service for Members of the Nigerian Armed Forces and Other Security Agencies’, was sponsored by the former Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South). It is slated for debate tomorrow.

Ndume, in the motion, lamented what he described as the “grossly inadequate” remuneration for military personnel, arguing that the earnings of members of the Nigerian Armed Forces were far below those of their counterparts in other African countries despite higher deployment frequencies and operational demands.

Quoting Section 217(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers the Armed Forces to defend the country’s territorial integrity, aid civil authorities, and maintain law and order, Ndume stressed that the current wage structure had failed to reflect the magnitude of sacrifices made by soldiers, who

“daily risk their lives in internal and external operations under extreme and hazardous conditions.”
According to the motion, the current minimum monthly wage for junior personnel in the Armed Forces ranges between N50,000 and N60,000, depending on rank, a figure Ndume said was “grossly inadequate” when compared with other African countries.

He charged the Senate to urge the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, to review and substantially increase the minimum wage and overall salary structure of the Armed Forces in line with prevailing economic realities.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, gave the assurance on the welfare of operatives yesterday in Abuja, at the 2025 World Mental Health Day Symposium organised by the Department of Defence Civil-Military Relations in collaboration with Secure the Future.

The Symposium has as theme:‘Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies’.
Musa, represented by the Director of Defence Civil–Military Relations, AVM Olusola Akinboyewa, stressed that the strength of the military was not only measured by its firepower but also by the emotional stability of its personnel.

He said the theme was timely and relevant, noting that mental health must be treated as a vital component of national response during crises.